Corporation up date.We have now got drive to both wheels with parts from a donor mower and pawls from our friend at Hailsham mower centre.Mower bought for parts has an unusual exhaust,(see picture) has any one seen one like this before on a suffolk engine

Thanks for the reply. No, I have a Suffolk Super Punch but I’m slowly getting hooked on old lawn mowers and this looked a good next project. But it sounds a tad too far gone or stripped for any use. But thanks anyway

The corporation is nearly there,cut an over grown lawn today in a few minutes ,I forget how simple but effective powered side wheel mowers are.The equivalent rotary would require much more horse power ,so there may be a green issue here.The clutch needs a look as it seems a little loose on the engine side and makes some rattling sounds at idle.It is by no means connoisseurs ,just a working unit with a brush paint Finnish .All been well planning to rally it at MK in may.

Looking good. Interestingly one of my operating and maintenance manuals dated July 1957 shows a machine with a different design of handlebars and the optional hammock type grass catcher. I see that yours appears to have the lower catcher mounts on the roller brackets.

Back in the 50s and 60s before rotaries really took hold, powered sidewheel machines were the local authorities' tool of choice, particularly the Ransomes Antelopes, but I've often wondered why Suffolk thought it necessary to make the number of variations and sizes that they did.

As you have found, a sharpened and correctly set powered sidewheeler can cover the ground quickly and leave a nice smooth finish. Perhaps not the easiest machine to control but, as you may have found out, letting it do its thing while applying gentle guidance is better than fighting it.

As you say Wristpin,these type of mower were popular with the local authorities.We used to use Ransomes Antelopes in the cemeteries,The nack was just to keep going round and round and if you had to turn sharply bear down on the handels to lift the drive from the wheels.(I was younger and fitter then).I also have a Qualcast Commando in the project pile!